JD(S) leaders likely to elect State president on Wednesday

They will also select 15 members of the core committee during the meeting

The top leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) will meet on Wednesday to constitute a core committee and elect the new State president of the party. As a precursor to this, party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday convened a meeting of representatives of minority communities and elicited their views.

The decision to constitute the core committee was taken by Mr. Gowda after the resignation of Mr. Kumaraswamy from the post of State president. Mr. Kumaraswamy, who was elected unopposed in 2008, resigned following the party’s debacle in the byelections to the Bangalore Rural and Mandya Lok Sabha constituencies.

According to senior party leaders, the core committee will now be the decision-making body and also function as the political affairs committee.

Sources in the party said that Mr. Gowda and Mr. Kumaraswamy had summoned all the important party leaders to the meeting. The number of members of the core committee would be restricted to 15.

It will be a challenge for the leaders attending Wednesday’s meeting as they have to select 15 members from a list of 50.

“There are chances of increasing this number. In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party cannot risk its prospects by sticking firmly to numbers,” a senior leader said.

Possible candidates

The names of several leaders, including P.G.R. Sindhia, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, A. Krishnappa and Abdul Azeem, are doing the rounds. Mr. Sindhia and Mr. Yatnal have reportedly offered their “services” only if Mr. Kumaraswamy, whom they consider the “face of the JD(S)”, extends support. The party leaders are also considering having a working president to assist in strengthening the party.

Post of chief whip

They will also discuss the appointment of chief whip of the party in the Legislative Assembly.

Basavakalyan MLA Mallikarjuna Khuba, who threatened to resign if he was not made chief whip, and Sorab MLA Madhu Bangarappa are both vying for the post.